Copilot Takes A Backseat In Microsoft's Latest Windows 11 Update

Copilot Takes a Backseat in Microsoft’s Latest Windows 11 Update

Last updated: 2026/04/12 at 3:59 AM

News Room Published 12 April 2026

Microsoft is removing Copilot from some less useful locations in Windows 11. The latest preview version of Notepad, version 11.2512.28.0, built for Windows Insiders, removes the Copilot button from the top-right corner. In its place is a pen icon with a submenu called Writing Tools.

The AI-powered features remain accessible in Notepad, but they’re not Copilot-branded, and there’s no big, colorful button. AI options include Change tone, Change format, Make longer, Make shorter, Rewrite, Summarize, and Write.

As spotted by Windows Latest, the beta version of Snipping Tool, Microsoft’s screenshot app, has also removed its Copilot integration. It used to appear after you selected an area with the Quick markup annotation feature turned on, but now it seems that all AI integrations are unavailable.

Pavan Davuluri, president of Windows and Devices, teased these changes late last month in a blog post that detailed how Microsoft had multiple “areas of focus for the year to raise the bar on Windows 11 quality.”

He said some “unnecessary Copilot entry points” would be removed from apps, including Photos and Widgets, as well as Notepad and Snipping Tool. So far, there’s no clear sign of any changes to Photos or Widgets in these latest versions.

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Davuluri said Microsoft would be “starting” with these apps, suggesting there may be other changes in the works. “You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, focusing on experiences that are genuinely useful and well‑crafted.”